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Summary

Contains the correspondence, both personal and relating to offices held and activities, of
Oren Root, Jr. Extensive collection of correspondences involving political campaigns to
which he contributed (Lindsay, Javits, Willkie, etc.), committees and associations to which
he belonged (American Arbitration Association, American Veterans Committee, Fair Employment
Practice Committee, Council on Foreign Relations, International Rescue Committee,
Metropolitan Club, National Association for Mental Health, New York Young Republican Club,
etc.), and positions he held (New York State Banking Superintendent, Special Assistant to
Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, President of Charter New York Corporation, and Senior Vice
President and General Counsel of Irving Trust Co.). Collection also includes memorabilia
relating to the Willkie presidential campaign of 1940 (scrapbooks, photographs, pins).

Biography

Lawyer; liberal Republican politician; while beginning practice of law in late 1930s,
campaigned for election of Fiorello La Guardia as mayor of New York City and Thomas E. Dewey
as governor of New York state; was early, major promoter of Wendell L. Willkie for
Republican nomination for president in 1940; worked full time as chairman of Associated
Willkie Clubs of America during Willkie's unsuccessful run against President Franklin D.
Roosevelt; later served as member of New York County Republican Committee and vice-president
of New York Young Republican Club; was first president of National Association for Mental
Health in early 1950s; in administration of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller of New York from
1959 to 1964, was successively special assistant for federal and interstate affairs and
secretary of banks; for many years practiced law with New York firm of Root Barrett Cohen
Knapp & Smith; later was counsel to firm of Lord Day & Lord Barrett Smith
until 1994; died in Bedford, New York.